


Extensions - Additional Files

by littlesolo



Series: Black Hill Prompts Collection II [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-22
Updated: 2015-01-29
Packaged: 2018-03-02 22:30:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 14,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2828330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlesolo/pseuds/littlesolo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>More of the Black Hill prompts</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. That Person

Jane realizes she is that person. It used to be Pepper and now those looks she used to give Jane are making sense. They were a look of understanding. Darcy knows who they are except she’s sometimes the reason Jane’s this person too.

They are releasers.

It’s not like they don’t have experience. They’ve gotten Thor released from the hospital, or at least attempted to, and Darcy had gotten Erik out of that mental hospital.

Due to the joint call or at least all the voices on the call she had received, Jane wasn’t entirely sure what happened, but everyone is in jail. By everyone, she means Darcy, Maria, Natasha, and this time to add a twist, Pepper too. Thankfully, Jane was expensing this to Stark Industries. Paying their bail, that is.

Jane wouldn’t ask any questions but knowing Darcy, she’d be getting a play by play.


	2. Disappearing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maria's been getting mystery gifts , food, drink, even weapons she's coveted. They're all to her taste and seem to just appear in her heavily guarded office. She leaves them on her desk. The items disappear over night and Maria's determined to find out who's messing with her.

Natasha is beginning to hate gift giving. The realization that she might not know Maria as well as she though is beginning to give her hives. She’s placed various things on Maria’s desk but they’re never touched so Maria must not like them. She was so sure!! Damn it! Now what?

* * *

Things have appearing on Maria’s desk.   
Her desk in her highly secure office. And the gifts were things that she’d always wanted but could never find. It was like wanting a Fetch Armstrong toy but the Stretch Armstrong doll was hard enough to find as it was. 

There had been a red wine that she remembers she first had with Peggy when she and Sharon were accepted into SHIELD academy. Peggy had saved it for a special occasion but the bottle had been valuable even then. Twelve years later she couldn’t imagine it’s value. It had seemed almost too good to be real, but that day she hadn’t gotten a chance to do anything more than look at it, she’d been so busy. When she’d come in the next day, it was gone.

The next day there was a hot italian sandwich. It was like the one from her favorite place. It’s too far to go for lunch but again, she never got a chance to do anything more than gaze at it from her doorway. Since Stark Industries was helping clean up the SHIELD and HYDRA mess, there were more emergency situations than had been expected. So again her gift was gone the next morning. She would have eaten it cold!!!!

* * *

Natasha decides to stop with foods and drinks and try things instead. She liked the sandwich, and could have sworn it was Maria’s favorite. Well, at least this would be easier. She hoped.

* * *

—————————- It was the nano version of her favorite gun!! Maria didn’t even know it was made that small! It looked like it held at least six shots too! But Pepper looks ready to murder someone at that conference table. She could help with that gun!! Oh, Fuck!! Coming Pepper.

* * *

Seven gifts later and Natasha is sitting in the lounge pouting. She still doesn’t have any idea what to get Maria. Maria sinks down next to her and Natasha notices that she’s pouting too.

"Tough day?" asks Natasha.  

"Someone is screwing with me" mutters Maria. Natasha sits up, her interest piqued. Only she gets to screw with Maria’s head.

"What?"

"Someone is leaving all sorts of awesome on my desk recently and then taking them before I get to have any fun with them!" says Maria as she stamps her feet petulantly.

_What?_

"Do you think it’s Stark just fucking with me? I mean it could be, but that would mean Sharon told him stuff I know she wouldn’t or he found it out some other way but I don’t know how…"

"Wait, you like the gifts I’ve been getting you? But you didn’t touch any of them!" asks Natasha.

"What?"

"You just left them on your desk!"

They both sit and stare at each other before erupting into questions at each other.

Natasha takes Maria to her favorite sandwich shop for dinner and Maria is overjoyed to learn that Natasha hasn’t returned any of her gifts.

Which is just silly since she stole them in the first place to keep her skills sharp. It was a win win.


	3. Cat Tendencies Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Are you purring??" "What? No..." "You were" "That was Liho" "Liho is out on the balcony on the other side of the building" "You don't know that"

"Yes I do, she was yowling like crazy until I let her out. You were purring!" says Maria.   
Natasha burrows further into Maria’s side. She won’t admit to anything but she won’t be moving away from Maria’s fingers going through her hair either. She mumbles something unintelligible and closes her eyes again. 

Maria has found many elements of her girlfriend to be catlike but she never thought she’d actually hear her purr. It doesn’t surprise her as much as she thought it would though. Maybe Liho saw Natasha and saw a kindred spirit.

In a funny way the two were similar. Natasha went out and did whatever mission she was assigned and brought back who or what ever was requested. Liho went out and despite the fact that Maria and Natasha would be equally happy if she didn’t, she brought home a bird almost each day. Maria tried to take care of the mess before Nat ever saw it. Not because either of them were queasy but because she’d have a feeling that Natasha would somehow blame herself for not being able to keep the bloodshed from their home. And then she’d be somewhat worried for the cat. While Natasha had gone through great pains to turn over a new leaf, Maria figures Liho robbing cat toys from the nearby pet store wouldn’t exactly be a step up.

She’s happy with her girlfriend who purrs because most only get her most non threatening growl and that was if she liked you. Natasha called her Athena. She wasn’t sure about all that especially since Nat purred and Athena had an owl. Maria was pretty sure even Liho could take that owl though, she’s one hell of a huntress. There was no dissuading Natasha though.


	4. Stalker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha may have a cat, that they now call Liho following her, but Maria has a dog following her.

Maria could have sworn Natasha and Clint had taken that dog to a kennel until they figured out a good home for him.

Which is why it made no sense that the Rottweiler was staring at her while she was getting extra napkins for the lemon cake to go with her coffee. His face was on the other side of the large glass window.

Maria had experience with dogs and was confident that if the dog tried to attack her, she could handle herself if the coffee didn’t do the trick. But it wasn’t necessary. The moment she stepped outside, the dog’s tail started wagging hard enough to power a small generator and his tongue lolled out of his mouth in a wide smile.

Well, this is…absurd. The dog trots after her all the way to Stark Tower. Maria had to keep from trying to out run the dog. Because that would make her look crazy. Especially since she’s wearing a tailored suit and carrying a coffee and a pastry so running in heels from a happy dog would not only be crazed but also the last photo she’d want the press to see.

She nearly knocks into Natasha in the lobby.

"Coffee run without me?" says Natasha as she steals a bit of the pastry.

"I thought you took the dog to the kennel Sam visits" says Maria, moving her hair out of her face.

"I did! Then Barton hung out and threw balls and frisbees because the service dogs are awesome and needed playing with" says Natasha, this time stealing a sip of Maria’s coffee.

"Then why is he following me from the coffee shop to the office? How did he get here?"

"What?" The moment Natasha’s finished the question, a cold nose bumps her hand before licking it. She jerks her hand back and looks to see Tucker the military service dog sitting next to her and Maria in the middle of the Stark Industries lobby. Maria takes the opportunity to steal back her coffee and pastry.

Natasha can’t think of anything to do but stare at the dog. The kennel was at least a forty five minute drive from here. Natasha watches as Maria escapes to the elevator but the dog takes to the stairs and trots up to follow her to her office, where Maria nearly trips over him trying to open her door.

"NAT!!!" She’s four floors up but that doesn’t seem to bother her, but Natasha is betting that the coffee spilled some and the pastry is now a doggy treat.

Looks like Liho will have to get used to having another furry friend to share her space with.

"NATASHA!!!" Now that almost sounded like a whine, but it doesn’t make the elevator move any faster.

Looks like she and Maria now have a dog.


	5. Koala

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pre-relationship. Maria is startled to find out the infamous Black Widow is a cuddle monster in bed. How did other agents deal with this?! Seriously, she's a koala!

They are sharing a bed on this mission because Sitwell was being a bitch about Maria being promoted and not him.

Victoria had been in charge of the mission before it was given over to him though so all the intel was as accurate as it would ever get. When it comes to tactics, if you had Maria or Victoria as your handler or just even taking a peek at your mission, there was an eighty percent chance you were coming back alive, even with Sitwell as acting handler.

Still, it was petty of him to have them sharing a bed in what used to be an aid station. Granted it was December and nothing was warm at night when it was supposed to be covert, but it wasn’t so cold that Natasha needed to latch on for warmth.

"Agent Romanoff, can I help you with something? An extra blanket maybe?" asks Maria, the assassin curled into her side. All that was missing was the way a cat pads in place before nuzzling close. In fact, Natasha was nuzzling her shoulder now if she wasn’t mistaken.

"I’m good. Comfy" says Natasha.

Maria knew better than to ask whether Natasha did this with the other agents as well. Mainly because she didn’t want to know. It wasn’t helping with her crush on Natasha, the one she wouldn’t ever admit to having.

No matter how many knowing smiles Victoria and Isabelle gave her.

Waking up with Natasha snuggled against her front was new too.

Great, now what was she supposed to do until Natasha woke up?


	6. Cat Tendencies Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha would stretch out on anything and lounge like a cat, more often than not she'd do that right on top of Maria.

Maria is dozing on the couch in the back of the jet when it happens this time. A hand is planted behind her head and then one was placed centimeters from her nose. Maria would jerk back but then she’d hit the other arm. She was in that space between being asleep and awake still and it was taking a moment for her brain to catch up.

She knew she was still on an SI jet and was safe. The plane being taken under siege would have woken her up. So….

Taking a deep breath to help wake herself up, she smells Natasha. Now that she’s a bit more awake she realizes that not only is someone hovering over her, but their weight has been resting on her. It’s the reason her arm’s asleep.

"Natasha… one of these times your cat like tendencies are going to get you hit when I don’t wake up fast enough" murmurs Maria.

"My cat like reflexes would block you" says Natasha, as she lowers herself again and nuzzles under Maria’s chin.


	7. Describe Her

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last adjective to describe Maria Hill would be cute, but it's the first thing that pops into Natasha's head.

There are things about Maria that simply can’t be described any other way. Like when Natasha watches her eyes light up at being the new high score holder on the arcade game at the bar. Or the sheer competitiveness that came out only when she was playing hockey. If she was playing against Sharon or Kevin protective gear was strongly suggested. If the three were on the same team, you’d need a helmet and a first aid kit. Natasha supposed some might see that as more bloodthirsty rather than cute, but when she missed a shot or didn’t win Maria pouted like an eight year old and there really wasn’t another word for it.

Even at work, Maria still was cute. She’d get this look in her eye whenever she came up with a fiendish plan. Natasha preferred to think of them as fiendish because they were the types of plans only Nick would usually go for. Well, Nick and the rest of the Avengers. But it was a little twinkle, a glint, a glimmer, that told Natasha whatever mission they had coming was going to be interesting .

Then there was the way she kicked her feet like an excited bunny when she was giddy. Like when she found a chocolate orange on her desk. Or peppermint bark outside her apartment door. That had her jumping on her toes. All of this had been observed from Natasha’s hiding areas of course. It was like watching a documentary at times. _The elusive Maria Hill, giddy like a five year old at peppermint treats being found at her door_.

There was the way she was fiercely protective of all of her stuffed creatures, especially any one that had been bought or won by Natasha. Clint had teased Nat when she got Maria a stuffed monkey and was giving it to her but Maria had given him her best glare. Natasha hadn’t seen a look like that since the last batch of rookies trickled through.

Then you had the way Maria snuggled. Although Maria was the taller one in their pair, if Natasha didn’t make herself comfortable first, Maria would tuck herself under Natasha’s chin and wrap her arms around her waist. It had confused Natasha at first, not the cuddling, the being cuddled. Normally people would assume she wasn’t that type of person. They’d be wrong, but Maria hadn’t seemed to care either way, her grip said she wasn’t letting go anytime soon. With anyone else, that would irritate the hell out of Natasha but with Maria, it was cute.


	8. Cuddling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maria never would've guessed Natasha was a snuggler/cuddler when they were alone. She swears Natasha's always by her side or has an arm wrapped around her and would whine whenever Maria would go to the bathroom.

Not that Maria’s complaining, she just hadn’t expected it.

Possessiveness would normally be a turn off, but that’s not what Maria thinks this is. At least not all of it. Maria has figured out that Natasha snuggles and cuddles next to her like she herself used to with her cuddly creatures. Except Maria used the stuffed creatures because she had no one else. She did have Sharon and Kevin, but they’d all been raised with the same high standards. A commander couldn’t be seen going to a younger officer whenever her job got hard. Just like a female agent related to Peggy Carter couldn’t fail or be anything less than the high standards Peggy had set as a founder of SHIELD. It didn’t mean things were any easier for Kevin, he had to be as good as Peggy too and that was a tough task for everyone.

But Natasha had been taught she couldn’t rely on anyone but herself her whole life. Natasha had told her of a friend she’d had before but Maria doesn’t know what happened to her. But it’s not just after Nat comes back from missions, it’s when Maria does too. It’s during thunderstorms and when the power goes out and although they’ve fought against many things and darkness doesn’t scare them, being close to each other makes it bearable instead of maddening.

But Natasha presses against her side even with the others. Maria caught Tony looking over at them but not with a smirk. He just smiled and gave a small nod and hugging Pepper a bit closer to him. It was about having someone to lean on, and Maria supposed no one knew that better than Tony Stark. Well, except maybe Pepper Potts.

Maria also knew that Natasha was old friends with Jane Foster and vaguely remembers Natasha hanging off the scientist like a koala bear when she’d been out to see them in New Mexico. Jane didn’t seem to mind, she was too busy with her work to notice and Natasha was taking it all in as Jane explained it to her, which helped some when they were closing the portal during the battle in New York.

Maria would never say no to cuddling or snuggling since she did both herself, but knew it meant a lot that Natasha felt secure enough and trusted her enough to lower her barriers with her. Maria wasn’t as cold as everyone thought either but knew such simple luxuries as this usually came at a price but felt it would be more than worth it for the sense of sanctuary they found in each other.


	9. Weakness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha hates what she's become. Weak. She was never supposed to get attached, the thing with Maria was meant to be pressure release. Feelings. She isn't supposed to have them, not like this and not this intensity. She's jealous, and jealousy is a very big indicator that she's grown to care about Maria. It wasn't supposed to happen, she's not supposed to get involved this deep. BUt she can't find it in herself to care.

Or rather to not care. Maria has been gone a long time. It’s making Natasha increasingly nervous because what might be required of Maria is the type of thing Natasha was used to doing.

She knew her jealousy was a problem and at this point knowing it was a problem wasn’t helpful. Watching Maria flirt with the overbearing man that was their target was nearly unbearable due to how flawless Maria was at it. Their target’s favorite hobby was to twist everything wrong and take it as insulting, giving him a reason to hurt someone. For the first twenty minutes Natasha had been worried that person would be Maria.

Now the flirting was the furthest thing from her mind. What happened or was happening in the hotel room they had adjourned to was more of Natasha’s style. The thought of that big ape’s hands on Maria had her simmering jealously turning into a rage. Natasha had abandoned her post but was still monitoring the comms for Maria’s signal or any signs of distress. She’d made her way over to the stairwell that was next to the room they were occupying. She was pacing and unable to stop herself. She’d tried sitting but then she just found herself unloading and reloading her gun or twirling her knife. She’d decided against the knife after nicking herself twice, her hand shaking too much due to how worked up she was. It had been forty five minutes!

Natasha cursed herself. All her training and years of refining it. She had perfected her masks and her Black Widow persona and as the Black Widow and herself she had more control than this!!

Except when Maria Hill was concerned.

Maria had trusted her from the beginning.

” _You came looking for a clean slate and we gave you one. Your past loyalties have no bearing on your abilities and I have no reason to not trust you._ "

For Maria, the issue had been as simple as that. For Coulson and Sitwell, and most of the others her past had them constantly suspicious. It said a lot about Maria though that at Victoria Hand’s raised eyebrow Maria had given a small nod and Victoria had treated her with the same respect and trust as Maria did.

It had been another half hour, making it over an hour that Maria had been alone with the goon. Natasha wasn’t waiting any longer. Kicking the heavy hotel door down, Natasha burst into the room with her gun drawn.

"What the hell do you think you’re doing?!" hissed Maria, the goon lying unconscious on the floor.

"You were silent for to long and I got worried" says Natasha quickly turning to close the door and then help Maria with the body.

Maria is about to go off on the operative, when she realizes that Natasha hasn’t made eye contact with her since she came bursting in. In fact, she’s looking every where but at her. It’s just clicking that Natasha really was worried when Natasha finally does look at her and her eyes go wide.

"What the hell is that!" Maria closed her eyes for a moment and sighed.

"The minute we got in he got handsy" says Maria.

"Handsy? You have a hand and finger impressions forming a purple bruise on your shoulder!" argues Natasha as she carefully runs her finger lightly across the marks. Maria shivers and hopes that Natasha thinks it’s out of pain. He’d grabbed her right at her arm socket and slammed her against the door and tried to kiss her. She’d already jabbed him with the tranquilizer, but she couldn’t lift him without a pain shooting through her shoulder.

"I’ll take care of him. You got everything we need?" asks Natasha. Maria nods, embarrassed for letting him catch her like that but it was like a bear paw, hard to dodge. Thankfully he had passed out before his lips had ever touched her.

They left through the stairwell Natasha had been pacing in. When they’re flying home, Natasha’s head flops on to Maria’s shoulder as she fights off sleep on their ten hour flight.

"The hotel room…that’s my job" mumbles Natasha just loud enough for Maria to hear. Maria isn’t sure whether she was supposed to though or if Natasha is even aware she said it out loud.

"No one else gets to play the femme fatale?" teases Maria lightly.

"No. Not when it might mean going further than just flirting. You know what Black Widows do and it’s not like I haven’t done it before for Red Room."

"Except this is SHIELD and things are different. I didn’t have to sleep with him-"

"No just mauled"

"-and not for the first time! It happens! But I should have called you in sooner. The moment he was out. I already knew my shoulder would be a problem before he hit the floor, it hurt too much. For that I am sorry. But thank you Natasha" answers Maria.

"Should have shot him"

"We need him to report what happened to his superiors" says Maria with a smirk as she brushes Natasha’s hair out of her eyes.

"They could figured it out with a dead body I’m sure" says Natasha before drifting off completely.

Maybe after some sleep on the flight she’d ask Natasha to a nice dinner.   
Something real.


	10. Named

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Did you know your name backwards is ah satan?"

Natasha merely raises an eyebrow. She’d gotten a call from Victoria Hand that Maria was on her way to the infirmary. Natasha had wanted to know what happened and who to kill naturally, but Victoria had her focus on Maria.

"She’s been medicated"

"It’s that bad?"

"No, no, a simple fracture but she’s a bit….off" said Victoria before hanging up. So having her name related to Satan shouldn’t have been all that surprising.

"I’m just saying that it must have given you an advantage when you were playing seductress, having a direct line to temptation and all that" says Maria. Natasha’s certain there’s a linking factor here somewhere, good and evil, the seven deadly sins, something but she couldn’t follow how Maria was putting them together.

"Sweetie, what happened to your arm?" asks Natasha as she takes a seat on the bed next to her.

"I was coming back from lunch with Victoria and Ted saw us getting out of our cab. My arm was still in it when he so courteously slammed the door for me" explains Maria.

"Izzy, Hunter, and Bobbi took care of him" says Victoria from the doorway.

"Not dead right? Cause if he’s dead Nick will think it was me and if he is dead I want it to be because of me" says Maria.

"He’s not dead" affirms Victoria, which gets a frown from Natasha.

"GOODY! Now I have something to look forward to!" cheers Maria. Natasha smirks.

Must be some good pain meds.


	11. Focused

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha hates it when Maria's like this.

Maria gets so focused and deep into a task at hand that she’s as bad as Jane when it comes to eating, sleeping…..bathing.

This time though, Natasha can’t tell her to let it go. This time Maria is fighting to keep her safe. The political climate isn’t getting better, especially since Putin refuses to leave Ukraine. Maria is worried Red Room will be coming for Natasha and Bucky soon.

Natasha knew that Red Room coming to claim their property was a possibility when SHIELD fell, their interest in Barnes not unexpected. She had planned to run. Had everything set. A bag and a cargo ship.

Except she couldn’t leave Maria.

Maria had supported her through the hearings and kept the reporters at bay all while keeping a barrier of Tony’s lawyers between them and all government and military officials.

It was a new experience for her, having someone defend her like that without question. There were numerous allegations, some blatantly false but others true. Regardless of how horrific and evil the papers painted her to be, Maria kept assuring her that she was a hero and that those still loyal to SHIELD knew it, the Avengers knew it, the ones they’ve helped knew it, and she would always know it no matter what her past contained. The only other people to support her like that were Clint, Jane, and Nick. Clint was MIA, Jane was swamped with reporters of her own (too many for Darcy to taser all at once) but sent Natasha her love and support, and Nick had gone dark.

Sharon also had stepped up to protect Natasha, her new job at the CIA was a huge step down for her but she still had a voice. The Carter name still carried weight it seemed, Peggy having made an impact on the world. She did what she could to get them to back off and have them convey the message to others, the alternative being Putin getting alive weapon with an already stellar and well known record world wide. It had taken a lot of the heat off her.

Maria had taken her and Liho into her new Stark Industries supplied apartment away from all the press and all potential threats. Natasha hadn’t expected that or being given Maria’s bedroom. Turned out Maria didn’t plan on sleeping much and when she did, she simply passed out on the couch. Natasha had covered her with the throw from the back of the couch more than once.

"You’re staring again" says Maria, even though she didn’t look up from her work.

"Why are you doing this? Just- -just explain it to me" asks Natasha as she leans against the arm of the couch. Maria turned in her chair to face Natasha.

"You came to SHIELD for a new start. But you’ve been alive since 1928, you’ve had countless new starts under various aliases. It didn’t go well otherwise Clint wouldn’t have shown up back here with you ready to join us. You didn’t ask for money or luxury. Just a new start but with no reason to think that it would turn out any better than the other attempts had.

But you stayed. You fought and helped us do countless of missions. You saved New York from Loki and aliens. You helped let people know that HYDRA is here. You fought even though it meant losing everything and exposing your past and you didn’t hesitate. That is the organization Peggy thought she was shaping, full of agents like you and god help us even like Nick Fury. It’s why he trusts you. Everyone else is gone and off doing their part and you…you remind me why I’m still fighting. Why I show up to court after every subpoena instead of letting them disappear me to some black site somewhere. But not only that, you’re my friend Nat. We’ve kept you safe for all this time and I’m not going to let them take you” explains Maria.

Natasha has no idea when the notion to hug Maria entered her mind, but her arms are wrapped around the other woman. Her hug is returned and Natasha is able to convince Maria to take a break to get a good night’s sleep.

"You know I'd get you out of that black site, right?" says Natasha.  

"Yup."  


	12. Old Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maria's been very happy lately. Natasha doesn't know why.

However, Natasha isn’t the only one that’s noticed Maria’s happiness. They’re on a double date with Steve and Sharon when it happens. It’s the first time in ages that they’ve had down time all at the same time. Sharon had recently broken her arm on her last mission and took the usual teasing from Kevin and Maria. It was a light day. One of hot dogs and paper soda cups in the park.

Still, they were forgetting something….

Sharon’s phone rings while their sitting at a table near the lake and chatting happily. In a rookie move and something she normally knows better than to do, she answers her phone without looking to see who was calling.

"You BROKE your ARM?" comes through the phone in a volume that would make you think it was on speaker but it isn’t.

"Aunt Peggy!" stammers Sharon.

"You haven’t shown yet today and I have to hear from Trip that you broke your arm! _DO NOT MOVE THE PHONE AWAY FROM YOUR EAR YOUNG LADY!_!"

Sharon had been doing just that and flinches before moving her phone back.

Natasha makes the mistake of letting a laugh escape.

"Is that Widow?? Give her the phone!!"

"Why?" asks Sharon, before realizing her mistake.

"Oh I’ll come back to you and Maria, now GIVE HER THE PHONE!!"

Sharon slides her phone over towards Natasha.   
Who takes one look at it and slides it back.   
Sharon and Maria pin her with a glare and while Maria holds out Natasha’s hand, Sharon places the phone in it.

"Widow"

"It’s been a long time Peggy" says Natasha. Sharon and Maria know that Natasha was born in 1928 and had encountered Peggy once or twice, saved each other actually, but Steve’s eyebrows are lost in his hair they’ve gone up so far.

"When were you going to tell me that you were dating my niece?"

"When I officially knew that’s what we were doing" replies Natasha as she steps away from the table. Sharon and Maria exchange glances. Why isn’t Aunt Peggy screaming any more?

"Before going off on you, I’m going to ask what you mean by that" replies Peggy evenly.

"I’m sure you’re aware of Maria’s history with dating since you probably ran some of them over yourself. I have the problem of people only wanting me physically. You know more than anyone else about that problem. It hasn’t exactly gotten easier through the years. At the moment we’ve had a handful of dinners in between missions" explains Natasha.

"I see. Well she really likes you. Otherwise she would have come and ranted to me all about you and I would have to tell her about the time I saved you just to make her feel better" says Peggy in a tone that lets Natasha know she’s grinning.

"I’d have to retaliate you know and tell her about the time I-" replies Natasha as she heads back to the table.

"Let’s not do anything too hasty. Giving the phone to Maria will be just fine" says Peggy and Natasha does so with a grin. Sharon and Maria are still looking at her completely mystified when Peggy starts again.

Steve can hear Peggy’s voice from across the table and is trying to hide behind his paper cup. He hopes he won’t be handed the phone since he doesn’t know whose side to take! Maria and Sharon’s or Peggy’s?


	13. Snowballs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha swears that snowball was meant for Clint's face, not Maria's. But it doesn't matter, she and Clint have been grounded from missions for 2 weeks under mysteriuos authority. Natasha didn't know Hill woudl abuse her power that way. SHe'd be impressed if she weren't pissed she has nothing to do. Maybe AD Hill woul dlike a good snowball fight.

It actually hits Sharon and Natasha has never seen Steve go so pale. Sharon’s eyes go wide and her shoulders go ridged right before she lets out what can only be described as a war cry.

Natasha lifts an eyebrow and tilts her head at Steve at the ‘eep!’ sound he makes. They saw snowball fly past the back of Maria’s head and land on the back of Sharon’s neck and sink past her scarf to go on down her back.

And so it began.   
And Steve didn’t have his shield.

This was a bit different, not exactly hurling grenades but Natasha had failed to take into account the time needed to make a snowball while running from the sisters. She’d scooped up all the ones she could though leaving Steve with a mere five but he’d taken off at the sound of Sharon’s yell. He hadn’t even thrown it but Sharon was going to kill him.

It was times like these that Steve was oh so very aware that Sharon was related to Peggy. Nothing was going to stop her not the rocks and holes and logs scattering the ground. Not even the hedge she just cleared.

Maria had all but disappeared and it was making Natasha nervous. Disappearing was impressive since the new fallen snow would show any footprints but Natasha couldn’t find any signs of—

_*OOF!*_

The tree. Nice play. However now Natasha is face down in the snow and Maria is at least eight yards away already. Natasha is on her feet and sprinting after her, Maria’s laughter ringing in her ears.

_*WHAP!*_

She’s hit from the side, square in the chest with a snowball from Sharon. Damn it! She thought she’d be busy killing Steve!

_*WHAP!*_

She’s hit again but this time in the leg by Maria and she goes scrambling for cover. She finds Steve ducking beneath the hedges.

"Sharon’s really mad" says Steve.

"Yeah, well I just got hit _twice_ and my partner did _nothing_ , think about how mad **I** am. Now lets go!" says Natasha dragging Steve with her.


	14. Rash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Why are you naked?"

Not that Natasha is complaining! She’d never complain about Maria being naked. Natasha goes over to kiss her only to have Maria reel backwards. Natasha can’t hide how much that reaction hurt her.

"Don’t touch me! I’m covered in poison ivy!" shouts Maria.

"Poison Ivy?"

"Yup. I’m immune but Maria is horribly allergic" says Sharon as she comes from the bathroom with a Benadryl with aloe and cooling gel. Well, three tubes of them. It’s then that Natasha notices the patches all over Maria’s skin that aren’t freckles. She also then notices the the oven mitts duct taped to Maria’s hands. Natasha raises an eyebrow at Sharon.

"She can’t scratch, that’s how it spreads. We were chasing a guy and he led us right through a huge patch that he’d rigged as a booby trap so he could tell who’d trespassed. That was a few days ago. Since then Maria had nearly scratched herself raw in places because the only person she listens to is Aunt Peggy" explains Sharon.

"That’s because we were fourteen and Aunt Peggy is scary when she gives you that look of hers!" argues Maria.

Natasha sits down next to Maria and hugs her close anyway.

"I’m immune to practically everything so I’m not worried" says Natasha before giving Maria a kiss. It seems to sooth her more than the gel does.  

* * *

Sharon can’t stand it, she really can’t.

It would seem Natasha isn’t immune to poison ivy. The pair of them are two children who Sharon had to duct tape oven mitts to so that they didn’t scratch. Stealth, espionage, covert missions, these they could do. But Sharon couldn’t leave them alone for two seconds without them trying to scratch.


	15. Accidents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'll fix it I swear." "How can you possibly fix this?!" "Trust me!" "THAT'S WHAT GOT US INTO THIS MESS IN THE FIRST PLACE."

Maria had gotten Natasha a necklace. Something simple and handmade yet elegant. She’d gotten it at the market in Marrakech. But Maria always brought Natasha back something, but she hadn’t given her anything yet. Which was why Maria was having Sharon hold on to it for her. Sharon was taking it to meet Maria when she encountered Steve.

Long story short, the necklace had slipped between the door groves of the elevator and gone down the shaft.

"I’m supposed to be taking it to Maria now" groans Sharon as she runs down the stairs to the basement.

"Why?" asks Steve, trying to keep up but also not fall on top of Sharon on their way down.

"She’s going to give to Natasha!"

"They’re that serious?" Sharon spins on her heel so fast it has Steve rearing backwards. She merely raises an incredulous eyebrow before rolling her eyes at him and pulling a flashlight from her bag.

"What! It’s not like Nat tells me! Also, you carry a flashlight in your purse?"

"Along with a multitool, and with the monster pockets on guy’s pants I’m surprised you don’t given the situations we find ourselves in" says Sharon as she examines the sides of the elevator shaft to see if it to caught. She spots it, but it’s too high for her to reach. Steve reaches up to tug it down and Sharon blanches.

“If you break that I’ll kill you and then let Maria have you!"

"I’ve got it, trust me!" says Steve with a smile. He manages to get it down but when they rush upstairs to wash the grime off, Sharon nearly has a coronary when he drops it down the drain.

The simple silver chain just glides right out of sight and down the kitchen sink. The last place Sharon would have washed it. She’s nearly speechless and Steve is racing for a wrench.

Sharon get’s it to Maria and finds out, thankfully, it wasn’t the main piece but it would divert Natasha’s attention. Natasha loves the silver necklace as well and only when he sees both Maria and Natasha smile does Steve get out of the car.


	16. Heroes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'm going to strangle you!" "Can you even reach my neck?" "ARGH!"

"Why would you volunteer me to speak to small children?"

"Because since Steve is off Bucky hunting, and Bruce is avoiding the cameras, it’s a toss up between Clint, Tony, and you. You are the least likely to cause a lawsuit or scar the children for life….or both" explains Maria. Sharon had gotten her one of those squishy stress balls. Actually a handful of them. "You are a hero Natasha, kids look up to that."

* * *

Natasha is still trying to narrow down the ways she might kill Maria or at least torment her while she’s waiting at the back of the room of first graders.

When it’s her turn she’s only just stepped up when a boy calls out "She’s not a hero!" Natasha doesn’t even have time to start to rolling her eyes when a girl calls out "Is so!" Natasha then watches the entire first grade elementary class erupt into a massive argument.

"HEY!" yells Natasha, and the room of some one hundred plus students falls silent. "There are lots of types of heroes…"

"Do you think you’re a hero?" asks some small voice among the crowd.

"No, but I’m told that I am by people that I trust and respect that I am" answers Natasha, thinking of Maria and Nick.

"But you saved New York!" says another voice.

"So did the firemen and policemen, both spoke here today. They were there and rescuing people too" answers Natasha. She answers a few more questions and then calls for one last one.

"Can you tell us something about Thor?"

"He _loves_ Pop Tarts” says Natasha with a straight face.


	17. A Question

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha's been meaning to ask Maria something

The look does not suit not Natasha at all. Also, Maria is finding it very irritating. Natasha has been wearing the look that normally is only worn by rookie SHIELD agents too scared to ask a question. Maria could swear Natasha has been about to ask her something a handful of times but never does.

Maria finds it infuriating and after compiling a list including the more embarrassing questions that Natasha might have but can’t think of a possible reason why she wouldn’t just ask.

* * *

Natasha lost her nerve. Not once, but repeatedly.

She is the Black Widow! This does not happen to her! Except when Maria Hill is concerned. The first time she retreated but now she’s losing her nerve because Maria seems to be irritated with her.

* * *

Natasha has finished her report to Maria and comes close to asking her out yet again but curses herself mentally when the words refuse to leave her throat. She turns to leave only to have Maria come from around her desk and block the door.

"Enough. What is it that has you hesitating like a green agent entering academy?" asks Maria. Natasha frowns at the comparison, but takes a deep breath anyway.

"Would you like to join me for dinner?" asks Natasha. Maria stares at her.

And continues to stare at her. Natasha sighs and reaches for the door handle but Maria plants herself more firmly in the way.

"Yes"

"Yes?"

"Yes, when?"

"Hadn’t really thought that far ahead yet" confesses Natasha.

"Anywhere is fine" answers Maria a tad too quickly and she knows this because her cheeks redden.

"So if I take you to Sam’s Club and get you the $1.50 hot dog and soda combo, that’d be fine?" asks Natasha with a grin.

"Sure, I love those and can pick up a movie for us to watch after" answers Maria with a grin of her own.


	18. Cuddle Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both Natasha and Maria weren't used to sleeping in before, once they woke they were out of bed. Not now though, now they would be lazing in bed, reluctant to leave the warmth and comfort.

Maria hates this.

Well not _this_ but the situation she’s in. I mean she’s all snuggly and warm and Natasha is cuddled up against her and holding her arm close. Almost like one would a stuffed animal, protectively across her chest.

But it has to stop.

Now.

Because Maria has to pee but Natasha not only has an iron clad grip on her arm but she’s laying on it too.

Now what?


	19. Admiration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha doesn't know when admiring Commander Hill turned into crushing on her. (From, I like how you can command an entire room with just a look into - I really want to slam you against a wall and kiss you).

Natasha knows it was always more than just a physical attraction. While the Commander could gain the attention in a room, it was that the people in the room trusted and respected her. Yes, there was also a good dose of fear involved as well, but that was necessary in order to run a top secret agency and to keep the helicarrier running at max efficiency.

Natasha had noticed that Commander Hill had taken her “clean slate” request seriously. She had evaluated Natasha on her performance and not on her past. Natasha hadn’t been aware of any of this until one incident in particular. Agent Nagowski had gotten into a shouting match with Maria and didn’t want Natasha on his op, even though she was the only one qualified and able to do the task in the small time window.

"I don’t want her near this!"

"Still holding her past against her? You’ve been an Agent eight years and we’re still not holding the fact you’re an asshole against you" snapped Maria. It had shut him up fast. But for the most part, Maria’s colleagues trusted her judgement.

Then there was the fact that although she was Second in Command, she didn’t see herself as being above field work. She had acted as Natasha’s handler but also as her partner on countless missions.

Somewhere along the way though, admiring her shooting turned into admiring her stance and then her form. Offering to go shopping with Maria even though she knew Maria hated shopping. Well, shopping for clothes. It wasn’t something Natasha enjoyed either since the mission was through, even the beautiful gowns and dresses became objects that only weighed her down. An abrupt and sudden escape was hard enough without lugging a suitcase, even if it had rollers.

Maria had a number of qualities that were ones that either coincided with Natasha’s or were ones that she admired. Except if you were to ask her what some of those were, she’d have a hard time naming them for you. One would definitely be Maria’s eyes. Yes, that wasn’t that question but that was the answer you’d get and you’d hope you’d remember to be gone when Natasha realized she’d said it out loud. Eyes, hair, mouth, neck, Natasha had her own mental list.

Maria inviting her to dinner outside of a mission was unexpected, but she could work with that.


	20. Shadow Advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> VIctoria Hand considers herself as close to a friend as one would have with Maria Hill, but now she sorely regrets that. Why? Black Widow is shadowing her and she has no idea why except it has to do with Commander Hill.

The Widow is following her. Well shadowing her, and she’s not sure what to make of that.

Victoria does know that it’s distracting her and she’s finding it irritating.

"Natasha, have I offended you in some way?”

"No"

"Has Director Fury ordered a protective detail for me and neglected to tell me?"

"Nope"

"Then why are you following me?"

"Because I have something to ask you, but you haven’t taken a break or slowed down all morning" replies Natasha. Victoria sighs.

"Well, what is it?"

"What the hell do I get Maria for a Christmas gift?"

Victoria blinks. And then stares at the assassin.

"What?"

"You have lunch with her and Pepper most days! What do I get her?"

"Romanoff…"

"C’mon!!! Don’t make me ask Phil!!!"


	21. Set Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha aggressively tried to matchmake Steve with any eligible female in SHIELD because he expressed an interest in Maria Hill.

Sharon is going to kill Natasha. Sure, she might not be throwing herself at Steve like some others were, but she was warming up to him and he may have piqued her interest. There she is.

"Would you mind telling me why you’re so desperate to get Steve to have sex with anyone female that you’re pimping him out like he’s joined the cast of Magic Mike 2? And your answer better be good or I’ll get Izzy to set Maria up with one of her friends" growls Sharon, falling into step with Natasha.

"Sure. He’s interested in Maria" replies Natasha. It brings up Sharon up short.

“ _WHAT?_ " hisses Sharon.

"I know. So, either you help me with Maria _fast_ , or help her get out of or through a date with him. You know she’d enjoy it about as much as I would" replies Natasha.

"You two have had dinner!"exclaims Sharon.

"Between missions! Which means we’ve had four dinners in three months" argues Natasha.

"Careful, someone might think you two are in a lovers quarrel" says Izzy. It’s met with two glares that would kill. Izzy merely sits down along with Victoria.

"Steve’s interested in Maria" says Natasha bluntly.

In a very uncharacteristic manner, Victoria chokes so hard on her drink it comes out her nose. Izzy is laughing too hard to notice.

"Wait, wait, wait! How’d this happen?" asks Izzy.

"I may have been staring too much to notice his staring" admits Natasha.

* * *

The black tie event that happened a few days later was awful. At least from Steve’s point of view. Maria seemed attached to Natasha’s hip the entire night. On a separate note, he’d never seen Natasha smile so much or so brightly before. He’d chatted with Maria at various points during the night and presented her with clear opportunities to join him and talk away for the others, maybe get a bite to eat somewhere else. But Maria had either turned to Natasha or politely declined.

It didn’t help later seeing the two of them kissing in one of the darkened walkways of the garden area. Apparently, Natasha and Sharon had left out a key person, one who happened to be very perceptive even if Steve wasn’t. Maria herself. Fortunately, Maria could handle herself and had done that with this situation as well. For instance, right now in the shadows under the arch, her hand was working it’s way up the back of Natasha’s dress.


	22. Sharing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha is fighting with Liho over a sweater, Maria's sweater.

Natasha spots Maria’s old sweater out of the corner of her eye. It’s her favorite one, the one that seems to swallow her smaller form in it’s warmth. She reaches out for it and is met with a hiss and a paw swatting at her fingers.  
"Liho, be nice. Now scoot" says Natasha. Liho flips to her back and kicks her back feet in a manner that resembles a rabbit but also makes her look embarrassed. But Liho isn’t budging.  
"Liho! Move!!" growls Natasha trying to tug it from underneath the cat. Liho growls in protest and it would sound adorable if she wasn’t in danger of ripping the worn sweater.  
"Liho!"

* * *

Maria comes home to see Natasha holding an uncomfortable looking Liho around her middle as the cat has it’s claws tangled in her sweater.

"Trouble sharing?" asks Maria.

"She won’t let go! Stubborn thing" grumbles Natasha.

"Gee, wonder if that was there before she met you" says Maria as she moves Liho and the sweater in her clutches to the chair next to them before settling in Natasha’s arms. "So aside from a quarrel with the cat, what did you do today?" asks Maria.

"She fights dirty" complains Natasha. Maria kisses her above her ear and cuddles in closer.


	23. Festive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In all of Natasha's fantasies, it's of Maria leaning up to kiss her. Well, reality is a bit different, Natasha conveniently forgot that she's almost half a foot shorter than Maria.

Darcy wanted the van decorated. It’s the only reason she’s doing this. It’s the only reason Natasha is standing on a ladder and stringing Christmas lights on Darcy’s new silver Airstream hooked up to possibly the smallest hatchback Natasha had seen in a while.

"Nice antlers" calls Maria from the ground. Natasha whips around and glares at her, the headband that’s holding it to her head looking awful against her red hair.

"It’s _festive_ " replies Natasha as she plants her feet on the sides of the ladder, followed by her hands and slides down until she’s just above Maria.

"And that’s you? All festive. It had nothing to do with the candy cane and eggnog induced happy that has Darcy singing Christmas carols until Jane’s ready to ship her to Asgard?" asks Maria lifting an eyebrow.

Natasha bends down and kisses Maria, like she’s always wanted to. Except from her position on the ladder, she’s nearly falling over. Maria places a hand at her waist to keep her stable and when she pulls back, gives the side of her antlers a tug before going inside to help Jane. And Natasha goes back to untangling the stupid lights.


	24. Darcy's Ploy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony's hung mistletoe all over the tower, for team building he says, he's just a kissing whore. But it worked out for the best when Jane shoved Natasha and Darcy tripped Maria under one. That's also when all mistletoe was suddenly removed the next day.

In Jane’s defense, she had shoved Natasha out of the area she was working in so that she could actually something done.

Jane had asked Natasha to come so that she could give Natasha her gift. A laser device that kept JARVIS from being able to see the room she and Maria were in. JARVIS could control his audio recording but couldn’t override his video. Now, she would have explained all of this to Natasha if Natasha hadn’t been going on and on about the black tie event she and Maria had to go to later. That and Natasha was fiddling with all of her notes.

So, when she pushed Natasha out the door it was for her own sanity. The minute she saw the mistletoe though, she closed the door behind her and took off. She knew better than to be there when both women noticed the mistletoe hanging from the ceiling.

Darcy was talking with Maria about something but her tripping Maria was done hastily but the minute she sees Jane making for the elevator she takes off after her.

Maria’s laughing a bit when Natasha looks at her.

"That was certainly one Darcy’s less subtle moves" says Maria.

"Mistletoe" says Natasha, pointing above their heads. Maria’s put her fingers through Natasha’s belt loops and is using them to pull her closer. Later, Jane will tell Natasha that her gift was already working. So it was just as well that they picked the office across from the one Jane was working in.

Maria kisses Natasha under the mistletoe and things heat up from there. In the small office across from the one Jane was working in, Natasha is working her way down Maria’s neck as she backs her up against the table. Maria has one hand in Natasha’s hair and the other moving across her shoulders and up her neck when Natasha lifts her onto the table. Maria watches as Natasha crawls up after her. For a brief moment she thinks how very catlike she looks. At least that’s until Natasha starts kissing up her stomach. At that point the things Natasha is doing with her tongue as she works her way down Maria’s stomach makes Maria’s eyes roll back in her head. Natasha’s hands on her legs alert her to the fact that her pants are gone. She’s already dripping by the time Nat slowly works her underwear down. Only after she’s returned the favor to Natasha do they emerge from the room.

Jane had also mentioned her gift to Pepper, so when Tony appeared distraught at having the video cut out and possible breach, she knew it wasn’t a virus.

Because that’s all Jane wanted. One of her oldest friends to have a Merry Christmas and to be able to get her work done in peace later,


	25. Mistletoe Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Stark's christmas party at the tower and nothing is complete without a bunch of mistletoe hanging around every corner. The former SHIELD agents have dodged them all. And then Natasha see's that Tony's about to trip Maria into Steve so that they'd be under the mistletoe. Can't have that now can we?

Natasha has always been graceful. She probably wouldn’t lose gracefully, but then she’s never lost.

She moves quickly across the room, her black dress flowing around her where it was supposed to, She doesn’t get there in time to stop Tony from tripping her, but Maria is falling instead of stumbling. Natasha catches her with one hand on her back and one on her waist. Maria’s drink hits Tony in the face.

However, when Maria has righted herself, it’s the two of them under the mistletoe. Steve is stammering and gesturing above their heads. Natasha is already looking at Maria when Maria leans down and kisses her. They hear Steve shuffling away.

"I that was more than just mistletoe" says Natasha when Maria finally pulls back. Not that she’s complaining.

"Well, we couldn’t have them thinking it was just the sprig in the ceiling now could we?" grins Maria as her thumb grazes Natasha’s cheek.

"We’ll just have to make sure to be close to each other before the clock strikes midnight" says Natasha. Clint is rubbing at his brow but smirking and Sharon is hiding her grin in her cocktail glass.

They hadn’t exactly been keeping their relationship a secret, but things had been rather hectic lately and it was the last thing anyone would notice. Well, the press would undoubtably get a photo of their New Year’s Eve kiss, and that should but to rest any lingering rumors about which one of them was dating Steve.


	26. Guarded With Care

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maria has her own bowl of eggnog at the part. Why? Everyone keeps spiking the one on the table. There's already alcohol in it, no need to pour more! No, Maria has her own perfectly tweaked eggnog in her arms. Until Natasha pries it away from her cause, really? Maria stop hugging the eggnog and hug me!

"Aside form the awkward conversation starter, your bowl of eggnog is making it a bit hard to get near you. Anything I can hep with?" asks Natasha.

"Tony and Clint have added enough booze to their eggnog to make it rancid and they keep wanting to tamper with mine" explains Maria.

"But you don’t add any alcohol to yours That’s how you’re able to drink it in quantities that would fill an inflatable kiddie pool" says Natasha.

"Yeah, well, I got festive and there is some alcohol in this batch but it’s already perfect" asserts Maria. Natasha flags down one of the wait staff and has them go get a couple of thermos. After transferring the golden concoction to them, Natasha and Maria make their way to the balcony.

"Now that your super secret formula is safe, how’s your holiday been?" asks Natasha. Maria gives her a look.

"You mean with Stark and Happy trying to catch everyone under the mistletoe? Or trying to not buy everyone a generic gift? While a fully stocked first aid kit is undoubtably what some of you need, it just doesn’t say you’re my closest friend. Or I would have bought them for you in bulk" replies Maria after taking a swig.

"Your closest friend?" murmurs Natasha.

"Well, yeah. I mean it’s not like we’re dating" remarks Maria. Natasha’s hopes sink.

"We could be" says Natasha. Then she looks down into her drink. How much alcohol was there in this? Because she certainly hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

"Well, now you had to go and ruin it" says Maria in a teasing voice, but Natasha is panicking and doesn’t notice it. "I was going to ask you to be my date to Tony’s New Years thing."

"I can’t tell if you’re being serious or not" says Natasha, but one look at Maria’s face says she is.

"I should have known better than to think that I could schedule things around you" says Maria.

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because you tend to drop in. Into my office, my apartment, my car. It makes me happier, but I should have known better than to try and surprise you" says Maria. By this time Natasha is grinning.

"Well, seeing you hugging a bowl of eggnog so protectively was a bit shocking" says Natasha as she moves closer to Maria and is wrapped in the brunette’s arms.

"Yeah, whatever. So are you giving me a yes or will I have to have a glass of the guys eggnog and use alcohol poisoning as my excuse not to go to the shindig?" asks Maria, her chin on Natasha’s shoulder.

"It’s a yes."


	27. Carnivals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You dropped off Romanoff and Barton at a carnival?" "Uh yea, is that -" "May, I'm going to need back up" "On it Hill, Skye you're coming with" "What's going on?!" -Later- "Natasha, get down from there. Barton stop! No don't set it on fire!" "Holy shit, that is awesome!" "Skye, now is not the time." "But, they're so cool, May can you do that?"

The ferris wheel itself isn’t on fire but there are fireworks going off in every direction from the top car.

Their last op had gone bad and the family they’d been trying to protect had been killed. Although pretty much any place could act as a trigger at this point, the sounds of a carnival couldn’t have been pleasant. At one point, they had been the sounds of home for Clint, but right now they’re all over stimulating. Flashing and buzzing. Plastic eyes on stuffed prizes staring at them from every angle as the sounds of the rigged games of skill sing songs like nickel slot machines.

In all fairness, they’d been fine until they’d gotten too close to the balloon dart game. All of Skye’s awe is worth very little when the fact is that Clint and Natasha had a break down. It happens sometimes. What matters is who is there to help pull them back together.

Maria finds Natasha within the maze that part of the house of horrors but ends in distorted mirrors.

"At least here I can tell that the screams are fake" says Natasha. Maria sits down next to her. She knows Phil got over his fear of extreme heights so that he could be with Clint when things like this happened.

"They killed them. The mother and father and daughter. The boy got there just as Clint and I were getting out. The military detail was sloppy. We could hear the kid’s screams all the way down the fire escape. If they hadn’t worked so hard at shaking our tail and holding us up maybe we could have stopped it. The Mother had placed herself in front of the daughter but it didn’t do any good."

Maria says nothing. There are all sorts of tolls that their jobs take on them, even when they win. The losses are harder sometimes but they keep trying. It makes having someone to lean on all the more important. And why Maria feels so privileged at being the one that Natasha trusts with this side of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *AN: Got Season 2 of the Americans as a belated Xmas gift. If you’ve seen it, you know that it influenced this piece. If you haven’t seen it you should check out the awesome series.


	28. Open Tail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Black Widow may be the best intelligence agent in the world but trying to find out if Maria Hill would be interested in her in a non-platonic sense is making Natasha question whether or not she's actually good at finding intel.

Okay, Yes, she may like Maria in more than a platonic sense but before she pursues anything, she’d like her own intel. Because there is no way she’s going into this on just Clint’s say so, especially when she can’t be sure if he was joking or not.

Of course that’s the hard part isn’t it? Maria is used to being followed and tracked and her every movement mined for possible intel. So rather than be caught and fall on her face, Natasha opts for more of an open tail approach and tells Maria that she’s bored and following her for a bit might give her an idea of what working at Stark Industries again would be like.

Maria is all about routine. Natasha supposes she shouldn’t have been surprised, after all it it took a lot to keep a helicarrier in the air. Except now she didn’t have rookies and other agents to yell at when things went to hell. So for now she vented and pointed out their incompetence on sticky notes.

Maria didn’t seem bothered or even mind that Natasha was shadowing her. Or that Natasha was sleeping on the couch in her office and munching all her trail mix. But by the end of the week, Natasha still doesn’t have any useable intel.

So when they’re in the elevator together, leaving work for the day, and Maria pushes her up against the back wall and kisses the hell out of her, it takes her a while to react. The doors of the elevator have almost closed to send her back up when Natasha finds her senses again.

Nothing is said, she simply entangles her fingers with Maria’s and has hers squeezed back. It’s always been that way between them and in retrospect Natasha wonders why she though stealth rather than something more straight forward was the way to go.

It doesn’t matter. She’ll just blame Clint.


	29. Separate People

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Romanoff was flirting with you" "Coulson" "Why?" "Why what?" "Why was she flirting with you" "is there a problem? ... if you have a problem with Romanoff flirting, take it to her." "I will" "Coulson, she flirts with everyone, just leave it" "she doesn't flirt with everyone" "Right, and Fury's my father, this isn't the 1st time, why are you getting so riled up?" "She's done it before?" "Why do you look surprised" "Maria, Natasha doesn't flirt with anyone but you"

Natasha wasn’t surprised to open her door and see Phil there. She’d seen his look of disapproval while she’d been flirting with Maria. She wasn’t letting him in though.

"Phil"

"You’ve been flirting with Agent Hill"

"So?"

"You don’t flirt with everyone, despite the fact that you apparently let her think so" replies Phil as he crosses his arms. It doesn’t appear that having this conversation in the open bothers him either. Natasha has been on display in front of others in some form or another all her life so it doesn’t phase her at all. She merely rolls her eyes.

"I flirt with Steve all the time and there’s my banter with Clint that has most of SHIELD convinced we’re sleeping together" counters Natasha.

"But this is Agent Maria Hill, Natasha-"

"Which part bothers you Phil, that she’s your friend or that she’s Second in Command?"

"Honestly? Both. It not only sets a bad example, but it isn’t-. I’m trying to look out for her Natasha. Have you tried someone more on your level?"

Natasha can tell he’s not trying to be offensive, but it’s like dealing with Steve when he’s well intentioned, sometimes it comes out like that anyway.

"Sorry, Phil. Melinda is too good of a friend, Bobbi used to date Clint but we’re too close anyway, and Sharon is like Maria’s sister but also not my type. Maria’s smart and thorough. She still has compassion and sympathy but doesn’t let it blind her, as well as numerous other traits that yes, make her an excellent agent but also a good person. And she doesn’t treat me like some assassin that she needs to be wary around still. Or only use my first name when she’s trying to connect with me on something that isn’t mission related" answered Natasha.

"I’m simply trying to look out for everyone’s best interests" sighs Phil.

"Yeah well, Maria’s Second in Command and a Commander besides and can look after herself. As for me, I’ve been looking after myself way before SHIELD ever got involved" and with that, Natasha goes back into her quarters and shuts the door.

"What would be her level Phil?" asks Maria as Phil makes his way around the corridor. Phil shrugs.

"I just don’t want to see my friend and someone I greatly respect be hurt" answers Phil.

"Friend and someone you greatly respect. By that, you’re actually referring to two different people. Me being the friend and Nat being the person you respect" states Maria as it dawns on her.

"That’s not how I-"

"Excuse me Phil, I’m going to go ask Nat to dinner."


	30. Down Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha hates it when Maria's right.

They’d needed some way to relax. They were on mandated vacation since at the moment both Natasha and Maria were recuperating.

Maria had suffered electrical burns and Natasha had been thrown through a fifth story window. So now they were lounging on their couch. The only reason they aren’t bored out of their minds is that Maria was prepared for things like this, like she was prepared for all things.

The _Wallace and Gromit_ theme starts to play.

Aside from _A Grand Day Out_ , _The Wrong Trousers_ is Natasha’s favorite episode. Maria says she’s stealthy like the penguin. They both agree that the whole Wallace and Gromit dynamic describes Phil and Clint really well, so long as everyone knows that Phil is Wallace.

From there they move on to _Ernest and Celestine_. It’s a better fit in some ways, despite Maria being taller but more like the mouse, brave, and willing to go after what’s right no matter the cost. Maria maintains the same is true of the bear, but he’s just louder and grumpier about it all. Maria also points out Nat’s love for chocolate and Natasha counters with both Celestine’s and Maria’s stuffed creatures. It’s the most fun Natasha can remember having in ages, just snuggled up with Maria for days on end and occasionally changing their pajamas when they get to be too smelly.

Maria was right, this was exactly what she needed.


	31. A Possible Past Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Maria wants to do is go home and sleep for a week, but Natasha seems very adamant about talking about something and she's rarely seen Natasha look so anxious and panicked.

"You’d be dead!" says Natasha out of absolutely nowhere.

"Okay, start at the beginning" says Maria as she escorts Natasha inside her apartment.

"You know how I old I am, when I was born" starts Natasha.

"1928, yeah. Are you okay? Have you just been released from the infirmary? Been an accidental guinea pig for something of Jemma’s or Tony’s? Or hung out with Darcy today?" asks Maria as she gets Natasha a glass of water.

"All of the above but in reverse order. Don’t change the subject! If I’d met you earlier, you’d have been a baby. A BABY!!!! I don’t know what to do with babies!!! They’re all squirmy and sticky and fragile!!!! I’d have dropped you and then you’d have either died or been brain damaged and SHIELD would have gone to hell!!" explains Natasha in one long breath before gulping at the water.

Maria blinks at her before stepping away and speed dialing Jane Foster.

"Jane, what happened to my girlfriend today??" asks Maria.

"Many things including a bonk on the head from leaning back too far on a stool after racing around the R&D floor on a chair against Darcy. A mild concussion was possible but she disappeared. Glad she’s with you" sighs Jane. Maria thanks her and hangs up.

"I’m not brain damaged, Natasha" starts Maria.

"Because you hadn’t met me yet!" states an anxious Natasha. Maria sits next to her and combs her fingers through Nat’s hair.

"My childhood had it’s own hazards you know. I’m half Canadian but ah- Sharon and Kevin grew up in New York. I had to show them the rules of hockey. Like no high sticking. Until Sharon got that rule down, I was knocked in the head quite a few times due to her frustration. I had plenty of chances of my own for traumatic brain injuries. Still, might. They’re renovating the office above mine and a large piece of plaster fell and hit my desk this morning" says Maria.

It doesn’t matter. Natasha has crashed and fallen asleep on her shoulder. She’s out like a light and all her worries forgotten for the time being.


	32. Refuge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha's ready to relax in her luxury hotel room paid in full, or well stolen from Stark but that' sjust semantics. She has on her netflix queue, fried chicken by her side. Then Maria Hill strolls in unannounced. At least the cmdr has beer with her.

"This is _my_ refuge you know” says Natasha as Maria just strolls right in and makes herself comfortable.

Not that Natasha has much room to argue, turnabout being fair play and all that. The only reason Natasha has stopped dropping in on Maria’s place is that if it’s not being searched then all sorts of media is camped out nearby. It’s probably why Maria is here now. That and the fact that the reason all the focus is on Maria is that they’re looking for her. Well, that and the comments they couldn’t air or publish when they pushed a tired Maria too far on their relationship. To sum it up, Maria had said they were two women who most people with sense knew not to mess with.

That being said, they were in a hotel with room service and a bed with a high thread count but fried chicken and beer was all they needed.

"Did you really slug a reporter?" asks Natasha after her first swig of beer. Maria nods. "You’d give us hell if Clint or I did something like that!" complains Natasha.

"He was insinuating I was sleeping with you to keep a close eye on your spy game" growls Maria between bites.

"Pssh. Everyone knows it’s for my looks" says Natasha. Maria kicks her in the thigh. There’s a hard glint in her eye that says she doesn’t ever want Natasha thinking that, even jokingly.

"Anyway, it’s because you know all the best places to eat. Also, who’d believe me if I told them you were a cuddler?" Natasha smirks and reaches for another drumstick. "So what are we watching now?"

"The Fall? It has Gillian Anderson in it and is supposed to be good. I held off watching any without you" says Natasha.

"Six episodes? Let’s hope we get through them all before one of our phones goes off" says Maria as she makes herself comfortable against the pillows propped up at the headboard. Natasha curls into her side and hits play.


	33. Glasses and Covers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Maria! I didn't know you were coming" (Scrambles to take off glasses). "Nat, I already know you're far sighted" "I'm not" "It's in your file" "I lied" "You're wearing glasses to watch your laptop that's a foot away" "No I'm not"

"You look adorable in them by the way" says Maria as she takes off her coat. That brings Natasha up short. Adorable? Natasha doesn’t do adorable. But Maria is very perceptive and if she sees it….

"What?"

"You look cute. Is this mini bar fully stocked? Yes it is…Tony’s going to have one hell of a bill with all the goodies in here" says Maria.

"But I’m- -" Natasha isn’t trying to portray anyone right now. Not Natalie Rushman the assistant, not Nadia the embassy secretary, Noelle the college student. No one. Hell, she’s wearing an old shirt of Maria’s that she can’t remember the last time it was washed and is fairly certain it reeks. Her socks have holes and her shorts are almost worn through in places. Adorable and cute would be the last words Natasha would use to describe herself right now. But Maria doesn’t seem to mind and is smiling at her and patting the spot on the couch next to her.

"Are we going to watch something or what?"

Natasha sits next to her, still aware of her possible smell, but Maria tugs her towards her and has her arms around Natasha’s waist and her chin on her shoulder. With anyone else this would feel confining, but with Maria it’s comfortable and she settles back into her as a Danish mystery series begins to play.


	34. New Year's Hammer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha is pissed she didn't get her new year's eve kiss, she was going to kiss Maria and it woudl've been romantic! But no, Hammer decided to try his robots out and ugh all the Avengers couldn't celebrate. Now it's new years day, she's sore and frustrated.

At the sound of Maria coming in to her apartment with her set of keys, Natasha calls out from the back room.  Maria looks even more worn than Natasha does somehow and flops into a nearby chair but is careful not to jostle Natasha in anyway.

"So I hear your New Years Eve was spent fighting off Hammer. God, I wish I could have been there" groans Maria.

"Tony’s todo not your style?" asks Natasha.

"Maybe if I had been there. No I got to be the third wheel to Phil and Clint as we took on Hammer’s bots that tried to make their way down to the subway. It wouldn’t have been so bad, I mean they work great together, seamlessly, but add a third person…and I wind up being tossed onto a truck’s windshield from fifty feet up. His robocops thankfully haven’t gotten any better. Without Tony’s tech they’re just bulk mostly but god do they pack a punch" explain Maria.   
Natasha hums in agreement. While she’s pleased to know she didn’t miss her chance, she’s not thrilled to hear that Maria had had the same awful night she had. I mean at least Clint could have gotten Phil to drop Maria off so they could fight together. They worked well together and Natasha has a feeling if they had, neither one of them would be nearly as black and blue right now. Natasha gets up and pulls a bottle from her fridge. 

"So, what are we hoping the new year to be? Less shitty? Less abusive?" asks Natasha as she pours the contents of the bottle into two glasses. "Relax, it’s sparkling cider to go with all our lovely pain meds" says Natasha, reading the concern on Maria’s face. Well, the flicker of it because she looks about too tired and battered to care.

"All of the above and with a few more wins. I’ll probably hate myself for saying this at some point, but I’d even settle for even a few moral victories" says Maria. After clinking their glasses together and sharing a drink, Natasha offers Maria her small guest room. Maria has just walked into the room before backing up and tugging Natasha’s collar to pull her into a kiss.

"Happy New Year, Natasha" murmurs Maria sleepily.

Natasha pulls the door mostly shut as she watches Maria literally fall into bed and tumble into the sheets, wrapping them around her like a cocoon.

"Happy New Year Maria" whispers Natasha before continuing on to her own room.


	35. Resolutions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> natasha's new years resolution: last year's continuous orgasm count for maria: 15, get to 20 this year.

Well, that was one resolution taken care of. Both Maria and Natasha are covered with a sheen of sweat that makes Maria look like she’s glowing. Natasha is so very glad she had JARVIS removed from everywhere but the area by the elevators and limited that to audio only. Also, soundproofing her apartment level. She will have to check and see if the sheets still have tags so that she can order a new set. They are extremely soft and comfortable, even if they are ripped now.


	36. Truth Serum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha's avoiding Maria after an op and she wants to know why. She finds Clint and he's slapping his hands over his mouth for some reason, turns out they got doused with truth serum and the effects last a day so they're not to leave the tower until it wears off. "But why's she avoiding me?" "SHE LIKES -AGHHH!" Clint runs off with his hands over his mouth before he can say anything else.

"Truth serum" explains Thor as he walks by. Well, that would explain Clint, but not Natasha.  Maria finally tracks down Natasha above the sparring area.  

"So…..truth serum. I’m tempted to ask for the real stories behind so many mission incidents" says Maria as she enters the room. Natasha stiffens but turns around already prepared. There is a silver streak of duct tape covering her mouth with a smirk drawn on it with a sharpie. Maria raises an eyebrow at that.

"Really?" Natasha shrugs as if to say you never know.

"You’re afraid I might ask something so dangerous that you have to tape your mouth shut?" asks Maria as she crosses her arms. Natasha rolled her eyes and ripped the tape off without so much as a wince.

"I’m surprised to see that you haven’t drawn a little evil mustache on a piece of tape for Barton yet" says Maria. It pulls a smirk from Natasha who is doing her best to remain impassive.

"He did let slip ‘she likes’ before clamping his mouth shut and disappearing. It’s been bugging me so I think I’ll spend a while guessing" remarks Maria, her back to Natasha but blocking the way out. Inside her head, Natasha begins to panic.

"You like- or rather would like to- french braid Thor’s hair" starts Maria. It earns a snort of laughter.

"Shave off Tony’s facial hair just to see him freak." Natasha gives a nod at that one.

The suggestions get more and more far fetched and have Natasha laughing and feeling more relaxed than she has in a long time. Until Maria hits that question.

"Like a team mate?" Natasha does everything to fight it, but the yes is still pulled from her lips. Fucking serum. Maria scrunches her brow in confusion. She knows for a fact that Nat doesn’t like any of the guys that way and while she’s friends with Pepper there’s no interest there. That just leaves….

Maria leans over and kisses Natasha before leaning back a bit.

"I’m not part of the team you know"

"Are so!" retorts Natasha, fast enough that Maria knows the serum is still working.

"Not really. The Avengers are Nick’s thing. I didn’t think it would work" says Maria.

"Me neither. And Nick’s not here is he? You’re the one we look to and trust, Maria. Well, I do. Coulson might think the new title means he calls the shots but I still only follow orders from you or Nick" says Natasha, unafraid of letting Maria know how important she is to her and the rest of them.

Maria lets her head fall onto Natasha’s shoulder and lets out a deep breath.

"It took truth serum to get you to tell me? To find out that my attraction wasn’t one way?" asks Maria. Natasha doesn’t stiffen but she fights off a flinch at the tinge of hurt in Maria’s words.

"Sorry." Maria shakes her head and smiles.

"Doesn’t matter. What matters is what we’re going to ask Clint to make him uncomfortable while the serum is still working on him" says Maria. The two share another kiss and a smile before going off to torment their friend.


	37. Public Opinion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sometimes natasha just needs a familiar presence in the room

It’s been a shitty day, and Natasha is looking for her human security blanket. She had been in the courts months ago but today she had been in the court of public opinion.

A little girl had said that Black Widow was her hero and that she wanted to save the world just like her. The girl’s mother hadn’t been too pleased at that and Natasha had let her say her piece but it had left a sour feeling in her stomach.

It’s why she’s searching the Stark building for Maria. She spies her above the frosted glass of one of the conference rooms. At the moment Maria looks like she’s debating whether she wants to kill the person of the conference call or the intern she’s sharing the room with. Natasha takes a seat in the lounge area across from the room and waits for her.

She’s awakened to the sensation of fingers through her hair.

"Hey you. Heard you had a hell of a day" says Maria. Natasha pushes against the seat as she stretches and leans into the touch.

"It just got better."


	38. Abuse of Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> one time, a smartass handler made the cover of a ballerina for natasha. he was immediately taken off and maria took over.

The mission will continue but for the moment Maria meets Natasha at a small out of the way cafe.

”You didn’t have to do that” says Natasha softly once Maria sits down.

"What? Pull an arrogant prick of an agent off an assignment because he thought he’d take the opportunity to try and put one of our top operatives in what he deemed her place? Yeah I did. His place is now handling the cleaning of the helicarrier’s exhaust vents. Even if we weren’t dating, I wouldn’t let him get away with pulling that shit. I hope you know that" says Maria as she tries to make eye contact but she won’t force it. She’ll wait. Natasha eventually looks up. She pulls something from her pocket and pushes it Maria.

It’s a copy of a program she was in as a little girl. Her picture is on it. She’s one of the smaller girls in a heavily blackened and old faded copy but she’s there and listed in the dancers. Maria curses and takes a photo and sends it to Nick. And Clint for good measure. With any luck they won’t find the former agent’s remains in the incinerator.

"He left it among the intel package in my hotel room for the mission" says Natasha, her voice still not much above a whisper. It’s not so much the being confronted with her past as much as being confronted with what could have been. A dancer maybe famous, maybe not. Probably though since her group had already made the papers and performed in a theater twice. But that was so long ago. It didn’t change the hollow feeling it gave her or the coldness it seemed to set in her bones. It was one of the few things that made her truly feel her age.

Maria reached out and grasped her hand, reminding her of the present. A ding on Maria’s phone has Maria spinning the display towards her. It’s from Nick Fury himself. He’s been dealt with. It’s one of those instances that the retribution doesn’t seem petty to Maria. Working for SHIELD, there is usually something you wish to forget in your past or there will be soon if you work there long enough. An op that was done for the right reasons but still left that feeling in the pit of your stomach, the child soldier’s face you can’t get out of your head after having to kill them, that weapon you know is locked away but it’s existence scares the hell out of you. They all have them and to use that against another agent was monstrous. Maria wouldn’t stand for that happening to anybody, even if they were a rookie that she hadn’t even learned the name of yet but Natasha had more than her share of demons. So yes, it may be an abuse of power, but she’d do it again and again.


	39. Hail, Steam, and Cuddling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha's pretty sure this is a date. Sure it was more a impromptu hangout after a mission gone well, but there's dinner, dancing and alcohol. She should kiss Maria at the door, right?

Natasha was just about to lean in when it starts to rain.  That has Maria scrambling for her keys.  And their luck continues on it’s usual path as the winter rain turns to hail.  They manage to get off the stoop and inside but not before being pelted with a healthy dose of ice.  Thankfully, their leather jackets and jean clad legs manage to protect them from the harder bits.  It’s more about function than an actually look when it comes to clothing.  Leather is surprisingly sturdy and holds up against all sorts of wear and tear whether it be from explosions or ice chunks from the sky.  

Maria offers her a towel along with a somewhat embarrassed expression. What little rain did hit them in their dash to the front of the brownstone is now becoming icicles in their hair.

"Um, you may be Russian and all, but I’m going to go have to insist on you taking a hot shower since you’re beginning to turn blue" says Maria.

"What about you?" asks Natasha, doing her best to control the shiver in her voice from the cold as Maria guides her to the bathroom.

"Canadian. I’ll get you a change of clothes"

Natasha is left in the small yet cozy upstairs bathroom and turns on the hot water and waits until the mirror begins to steam before jumping in. When she peeks out, there’s a set of Maria’s sleepwear sitting on the counter. Natasha’s unable to resist the impulse to bring them up to her face and inhale Maria’s scent.

For once she feels just like everyone else and part of the crowd. Without it just being for fun or part of a mission, Natasha is floundering just like everyone else seems to when it comes to dating. Yes they’d had a bit to drink, but not enough to be stupid, just a little more open with each other. Open to the possibility of asking Maria to dance. Perhaps it was a little liquid courage but walking back outside into the cold wind had gotten rid of any effects the alcohol had had.

She remembers swaying with Maria as they danced though. Maria’s height wasn’t as much of a problem as she’d thought since they’d sort of fit right into each other, their curves just resting perfectly against each other instead of that awkward moment of ‘how do you want to do this’ and ‘where do I put my hands”. For the life of her, Natasha couldn’t tell you what song was playing. Only that her guard had been down and her mind at peace. For once there wasn’t a threat assessment going on in the back of her mind even though she’d done that when they’d come in and at least three times during dinner. Alright, maybe only two. Maria was quite distracting with her blue eyes and smile.

When she emerges from the room she finds Maria watching Nero Wolfe from her DVD collection.

"Are you sure you don’t want a shower too? I left you hot water" says Natasha as she juts her thumb towards the bathroom. Maria shakes her head.

"Fresh clothes and an electric blanket. Come on and get cozy" says Maria lifting the covers on the bed.

"The occasion? Besides an extended celebration? Not that I’m arguing…" says Natasha as she curls into Maria’s side. As cozy as the PJs are, they’re a little big and she’s cold. It’s not like they haven’t done this before. Cuddled. Sometimes after a mission nothing helped more than human contact. Except it’d never really gone past that and well, this wasn’t exactly the same mood they’d been in before the rain.

But Maria is pulling her closer and looking at her. She was going to earlier and nothing has happened to make her change her mind. In fact, Maria taking care of her has only made her love her more. Something she wasn’t going to admit to herself until at least after they’d kissed but it’s not like ignoring it had helped.

When she kisses Maria, it’s soft and there’s no desperation or part of her brain trying to make sure she plays this correctly. They’ll figure this out as they go. Without any rush or pressure.

It’s a change of pace for Natasha, but a welcome one. As most things are when it comes to her and Maria. They settle close together to watch the episode _Death of a Doxy_. It’s their favorite one except for maybe _Over My Dead Body_. Just one of those things you’d never expect but has never made you happier. She could get used to this.


	40. Budapest and Peggy Carter

It was after the fall of SHIELD and Sharon, Maria, Pepper, and Phil were going over the details of Natasha's file. The one that she uploaded to the internet, among others. Clint was there too since they were going over the events of Budapest.

"Which time?" asks Natasha, her head resting on her hands on the table top. They'd been at this all day. That however, had been the most interesting thing said all afternoon and had all heads turning to look at her.

"What do you mean 'which time?' We were only ever there once!" says Clint, remembering it all vividly still.

"That was with you. When I was with Red Room, I was in Budapest in 1956 too" elaborates Natasha.

"During the Hungarian revolt" clarifies Sharon, and Natasha nods.

"The Hungarians were tired of the AVH secret police and the constant fear of imprisonment and torture and had their own revolution. Cam and I were there ironically doing a threat assessment at the time and got pulled into the mess. We mixed in with some of prisoners being released while revolution still had movement" says Natasha thinking back.

"You make it sound like they didn't have a chance" says Pepper. Natasha shrugs.

"Realistically, they didn't" she replies.

"And you know that for a fact" says Steve bitterly from the doorway.

"Cam and I were born Soviets, Steve. Get over it. And yes, I do. The thousands that died support that as well as all the ones who wound up with us in Austria at refugee camps" answers Natasha with a glare.

"While your Russian soldiers slaughtered them!" argues Steve, crossing his arms. His voice holds a bite and he's using his full height against her even though she's still sitting. However, now her feet are propped up on the table edge nearest him and leaning back towards Maria as she texts someone on her phone.

"The Hungarians kept thinking, believing that the US was going to help but they never sent tanks or planes to assist, so get off your horse Steve and remove your head from it's rear. It was the first time we helped Peggy Carter though" says Natasha, now turning her focus towards Sharon and Maria, removing her feet and spinning round in her chair.

"Wait, you two met Sharon and Maria's Aunt Peggy?" asks Clint, leaning in closer. He does love a good story.

"More than once" comes from the other door where Cameron is now standing with Trip. "I was heard I might be needed, so here I am" says Cam taking a seat between Clint and Pepper and Trip next to Phil.

"She first ran into us in Berlin in the 50's" starts Natasha until she notices Cameron wincing. "What?"

"I can't tell if you have a thing for puns or just really bad word choice. Peggy ran into us literally" says Cameron. Natasha rolls her eyes.

"Fortunately, there was a sort of unspoken agreement between us and the Americans-" starts Natasha again.

"Peggy's British" throws in Steve.

"Fighting for the US, you want to hear this or not?" asks Natasha. Sharon's glare settled it for him. Maria's glare wasn't necessary but was just as lethal.

"Anyway, they didn't shoot at us, we didn't shoot at them" finishes Natasha.

"But where did you see her in Budapest?" asks Maria, the fact that she's now holding one of Natasha's hands is noticed but also going pointedly unnoticed.

"Yanked her and two of her Commando's out of the way of a tank and helped them get out through back streets and a hidden passage in a bakery we knew of. Jones offered me a boost, seems like manners run in the family" says Cameron with a smirk at Trip.

"As well as stunning good looks" remarks Trip with a grin of his own.

"Yeah, well Peggy, Jones, and Dugan and hundreds of others were among the group we were in walking to the refugee camps in Austria. She thanked us in a way that we certainly enjoyed" says Natasha, a wide grin spreading across her face and a matching one appearing on Cameron's. Maria wonders just what kinds of mischief these two used to get into. Cameron glances over towards Pepper.

"Don't tell Tony, but Peggy gave us one of his jeeps to get out of there on. No toys or gadgets on it, but extremely sturdy."

"And we used that thing until it sputtered and died. But it got us out of a lot of tight situations and even survived tumbling down a mountain side."

"With you both still in it?" asks Phil.

"Thankfully"

"That's debatable. I cracked my collar bone" argues Cameron.

"Your left one! You're primarily right handed" waives off Natasha, leaning back again.

Maria and Sharon share a look. They can definitely see them as sisters.


End file.
